Chapter 4

Hunter had scheduled our wedding for the same day as Evangeline's.

It was a lavish affair. Luxury cars lined the streets. Almost every gang boss was there.

Colorful balloons filled the sky over Tidemere. Everyone kept telling me how lucky I was.

Perhaps he felt a little guilty, because his voice was unusually gentle when he spoke to me.

"Evangeline liked your wedding dress, so I gave it to her. This one looks the same. It's just a formality anyway."

My lips felt dry as I forced a smile. "That's all right. This one is nice too."

His expression faltered, as though he had expected me to argue.

Well, what did it matter what I wore to my death?

While Hunter and I waited to walk down the aisle, Evangeline leaned in beside me and spoke so softly only I could hear. The malice and jealousy in her eyes were unmistakable.

"I didn't think you'd take it so well. I stole your wedding dress, and you managed to act cool with it. You're just like that harlot of a mother of yours, picking up men other women don't want.

"Look where that got her. She was dumped, and you..."

I could not listen to another word. I slapped her hard.

"What right do you have to talk about my mother? If your mother hadn't played dirty, the gang would never have turned on mine. They killed her.

"I couldn't even find her body and put her to rest. I never got to see her one last time!"

Evangeline held a hand to her cheek and stared at me in disbelief. Her eyes filled with tears.

"Juniper, I didn't mean to take your wedding dress. I only agreed to wear it because Hunter said it suited me. If you want it back, I'll take it off right now. Please don't be mad at me."

Gareth immediately pulled Evangeline into his arms to shield her.

Hunter's expression turned livid.

Unable to contain his fury, he grabbed my wrist and slapped me hard.

"Juniper!" he shouted my name louder than he ever had.

"I've put up with you long enough! I was going to take you back to the Sable Isles after the wedding so we could build a life together.

"Is this how you'd treat me after everything I've done for you? It's just a dress. How could you hit Evangeline over it?"

The blow knocked me to the floor. My ears rang.

I looked up and met his eyes, which were bloodshot with fury. For a moment, I could only stare at him in disbelief.

He had never hit me before.

Back then, the gang found out I had saved Hunter. My father sent people to punish me, one group after another, but I would rather have died than give up where he was hiding.

The family had rules. Anyone who sheltered someone they had cast out would receive fifty lashes.

When I returned from the whipping, I told Hunter what they had done to me for hiding him. He was still feverish, but he understood me well enough to take my hand. Tears filled his eyes as he made me a promise.

"I promise to protect you for the rest of my life. No one will ever lay a finger on you again."

With that slap, he broke his promise and killed the last bit of hope I had for him.

Just then, the wedding coordinator called for us to take our places.

At the same time, the system spoke. "Your body has reached its limit. You will die in thirty seconds. As an old friend, I'll show everyone the truth for you."

A video appeared on the large screen at the front of the venue.

It showed everything that had happened when I saved Hunter ten years ago.

Hunter froze. Then, he turned around and stared at me in disbelief.

"It was you? You were the one who saved me?"

I could no longer hold on. I coughed up a mouthful of blood and fell to the floor.